Oklahoma Earthquake: Aftershocks Could Last for Months
The United States Geological Survey said Oklahoma should expect aftershocks for weeks and possibly months after a 5.6-magnitude earthquake rocked the area on Saturday.
Multiple aftershocks have struck since the main quake, including a 4.7-magnitude aftershock. The USGS said the aftershocks should weaken over time.
Oklahoma was hit with 23 earthquakes over the weekend with the worst being a 5.6 magnitude on Saturday night. No serious injuries were reported and only minor structural damage occurred, according to state officials.
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The quake's epicenter was located four miles east of Sparks, in Lincoln County. Tremors from the earthquake could be felt across the Midwest, including Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas.
The USGS has not confirmed what fault line the quake took place on, but they speculate it was the Wilzetta fault. The Wilzetta fault is part of a series of small faults that formed in the region approximately 300 million years ago.
Despite the quake not bringing major damage, residents near the epicenter said the quake was intense.
Joe Reneau, a resident of Prague, told KJRH: "Wham! It wasn't just a sudden bang...this house was rocking and rolling."
The earthquake does not come as a surprise to residents in the area as it has seen a dramatic increase in earthquakes hitting the region in recent years.
Over 1,000 earthquakes were recorded in 2010 after seismographs were installed in the area, according to officials. Only about 100 of those earthquakes, however, were strong enough to be felt by people in the area.
Officials have not determined the cause of the increase in earthquakes. Before 2010, Oklahoma usually saw about 50 quakes annually.
The last major earthquake to hit the state was a 5.5-magnitude quake that struck in 1952.
